The present invention relates to laser transceivers, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for testing, aligning, and refurbishing laser transceivers.
Today, laser radar (LADAR) and other systems incorporating laser transmit-and-receive devices are in widespread use. For example, laser transceivers are routinely employed in military applications for such purposes as target detection, acquisition, identification and tracking. However, due to the inherent high-precision nature of laser systems, testing and alignment of laser transceiver units can be difficult. Indeed, except for the simple adjustment of transceiver mounting screws or the wholesale replacement of peripheral receiver assemblies, failed laser transceivers are conventionally returned to the transceiver supplier for repair and maintenance. The supplier can provide both the facilities and the skill required to carry out high-precision laser alignment and testing.
However, because the delays associated with shipping a laser transceiver unit to and from an appropriate supplier can be quite long, and because laser system suppliers typically have significant repair backlogs, conventional laser transceiver repair and maintenance is extremely costly in terms of both time and money. As a result, laser system users often keep a large number of laser transceiver spares on hand. The cost of doing so, however, can be prohibitive. Thus, there is a need for improved methods and apparatus for testing, aligning and refurbishing laser transceivers. In particular, there is a need for methods and apparatus allowing a relatively unskilled technician, who can be located nearer the system user, to perform advanced laser maintenance and refurbishment. Such methods and apparatus will yield significant improvements in terms of laser repair cost and turnaround time and will greatly enhance user self-sufficiency.